Rwanda has just finished taking part in its first ever Commonwealth Games. After Mozambique, it's only the second country to have joined the Commonwealth that doesn't have constitutional ties with the United Kingdom. It's just one more sign that the country is turning its back on its francophone history in favour of English - although with the French school reopening in Kigali, there are some who still have a place in their hearts for French.
The Commonwealth Games began yesterday in India with the usual glitters of the opening ceremony. But the run-up to the event has been marred with a series of controversies. Athletes complained about the poor housing conditions, critics hammered the govt for shoddy construction and corruption. As a result, the country's leadership feared the image of a rising India was tarnished.
In today's international press- India's papers ask if the Commonwealth Games' organising committee has turned the games round after weeks of bad headlines, the Brazilian election goes to a photo finish and Silvio Berlusconi is in trouble with the Vatican.
The Pakistani government struggles with ongoing corruption cases and growing discontent over US drone attacks on Pakistani soil. Our correspondent Mathieu Mabin has a special report. We’ll also see how New Delhi has been hiding away its poor in the run-up to the trouble-plagued Commonwealth Games. And the lucky six Pambassadors get to work in China.
INTERNATIONAL PAPERS, TUESDAY, 28th SEPT 2010: The Guardian leads with a report on the danger that Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s famous temple complex, could risk serious damage with essential water being drained from its base to cater for tourists. We also look at the fallout of Ed Miliband’s nomination as Labour leader, ongoing travails for the Delhi Commonwealth Games and the death of Segway’s owner…on a Segway.
The web comments on Ed Miliband’s election to leader of Britain’s Labour party ; the Indian blogosphere expresses concerns as the Commonwealth Games approach ; and a short film with mobile phone "Transformers“.
India has been severely criticised for the organisation of its Commonwealth Games which will open in New Delhi on October 3rd. Unsanitary conditions and unstable installations have been reported, raising questions about security. Indian authorities have been underplaying the problems and insist that everything will be ready and under control for the opening ceremony.
Clash of the Asian titans - China and Japan get bogged down in a huge diplomatic row. The Commonwealth Games in jeopardy - reports of squalor at the athletes' village and some serious worries about security have dogged preparations in New Delhi. And we take you to the east of India, where a different kind of debate has opened up over the full Islamic veil. University students have demanded their teachers cover up, but one of them said no.
Progress has been made in getting facilities in New Delhi ready for next week's Commonwealth Games, more work still needs to be done, said Games chief Mike Fennell on Saturday, as the fist foreign teams started to arrive in India.
INTERNATIONAL PAPERS, Friday, 24th Sept. 2010: Good banks, bad banks… Isolating debt and writing it off balance sheets… Why doesn’t Ireland just divide itself in two and grant the bad part independence, ponders Frank McNally for the Irish Times. Elsewhere we look at the battle of the brothers between Ed and David Miliband and criticism in the Guardian of the abhorrent over-spending on international sporting events.
